The movie Ready Player One introduced us to the futuristic idea of a fully immersive virtual world where meaningful human interactions transcend borders. Now, VR technology has moved beyond science fiction, becoming embedded into our daily lives. Reporter Linda Rodriguez-McRobbie took a trip for New Scientist to a virtual nightclub and immersed herself in a subculture where social identity can be as expressive as your imagination.
Guided by club organiser and VR researcher Karl Clarke, we explore the technology underpinning these virtual experiences. We see how applications in movie production, military training, rehabilitation and health are driving innovation. We also reveal its use for training AI models and how it is being used to better understand social interaction. And, in groundbreaking new VR research, our team members join an experiment in which every aspect of their social presence is manipulated, with dramatic and profound implications. Ready Player One, it would seem, is much closer than we think.
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